Physical
Sciences Colloquium Series
Text: Fundamentals of
Electric Propulsion: Ion and Hall Thrusters, by Goebel
and Katz, (ERAU library: TL 783.63 .G64 2008) pdf
version
Recommended: Introduction to
Plasma Physics (Hutchinson, MIT)
See the syllabus for
more detailed information.
Required reading: Chapter 1 of "Modern
Plasma Theory" by Fried
Chapter 9 "Fusion" of
Intro to Plasma Physics by Chen
Chapter 1
"Nuclear Fusion Reactions" of "The Physics of Inertial
Fusion" by Atzeni and Meyer-ter-Vehn
"Electric Propulsion"
by Jahn and Choueiri
This is going to be a fun course, where you get to apply some of the physics you have learned to real-world situations, and we will also cover some neat mathematical techniques that you will use throughout physics.
We will cover:
Fundamentals of
plasmas: Debye shielding, plasma frequency, plasma
parameter. Motion of charged
particles in electromagnetic fields: drifts, adiabatic
invariants, diffusion. Two-fluid
theory in unmagnetized and magnetized plasmas:
electrostatic, electromagnetic, and hybrid waves and
instabilities. Magnetohydrodynamics. Magnetic fusion devices: mirrors,
tokamaks, stellarators. Electric
propulsion devices: electrothermal, electrostatic,
electromagnetic accelerators.
Prerequisites: MA 345 (Differential
Equations and Matrix Methods), ES 206 (Fluids), PS 219 or PS 250
(Physics III).
TENTATIVE
SCHEDULE
Week |
Topics |
Chs. in Goebel/Katz |
1-3 4-5 |
Plasmas Single-particle trajectories |
3 + handout 3 |
6-7 8-10 |
Fluid theory EP overview |
3 + handouts 2 + handouts |
11-12 13-14 |
VASIMR Hall thrusters |
handouts 7 |
|
Final Exam – Sat 27 Apr – 7:15p-9:15p |
All |
LINKS
All about
plasma physics (CPS)
More about
plasma physics (PI)
Introduction to
Plasma Physics (Hutchinson, MIT)
Interview with Melanie
Windridge at CCFE
Steve
Cowley on fusion
Virtual Tokamak
JT-60
(Japan)
TFTR
(Princeton)
HBT-EP
(Columbia)
DIII-D (General Atomics)
Rotational transform
Reference
materials
NRL Plasma Formulary
Electric
propulsion
Richard
Hofer's pages
NASA's Dawn page
Nuclear
Fusion
Available at the Jack R. Hunt Library are the following items:
At
approximately the same level as Chen
Introduction to Plasma Theory,
by Nicholson, QC 718 .N53 1983 *
At a slightly higher level (advanced
undergraduate/beginning graduate)
Plasma Physics, by Sturrock, QC 718
.S76 1994 *
Fundamentals
of Plasma Physics, by Bellan, QC 718 .B45 2006 *
Introduction
to Plasma Physics, by Gurnett and Bhattacharjee, QC 718
.G87 2005 *
Introduction to
Plasma Physics, by Goldston and Rutherford, Reynolds' office
Plasma Physics :
An Introduction to Laboratory, Space, and Fusion
Plasmas, by Alexander Piel, Springer 2010
At a much higher level (graduate)
Plasma
Physics and Fusion Energy, by Friedberg, QC 718 .F76
2007 +
Physics of Space Plasmas,
by Parks, QC 809 .P5 P37 1991
Introduction to Plasma
Physics, by Thompson (an oldie but a goodie) QC
718 .T5 1962
An engineering perspective
Plasma
Physics and Engineering, by Fridman and Kennedy, QC 718
.F77 2004 *
Some texts on nuclear fusion and tokamaks
Plasma Physics and Fusion Energy, by
Freidberg, QC 718 .F76 2007
Some texts on electric propulsion
Rocket Propulsion Elements, by
Sutton and Biblarz, TL 782 .S8 2001 - Chapter 19
Fundamentals of Electric Propulsion: Ion
and Hall Thrusters, by Goebel and Katz, TL 783.63 .G64
2008 pdf
version
Space Technology, Seifert, TL 790
.S44 - "Low-Thrust Flight: Constant Exhaust Velocity in
Field-Free Space" by Langmuir
Reviews of Plasma Physics 21,
Kadomstev and Shafranov, QC 718.15 V67 2000 - "Fundamentals of
Stationary Plasma Thruster Theory" by Morozov and Savelyev
Micropropulsion for Small Spacecraft,
Micci and Ketsdever, TL 507 .P75 vol 187